


Fly-away

by down



Series: you bring my luck with you [1]
Category: Magic Knight Rayearth
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-26
Updated: 2017-11-26
Packaged: 2019-02-07 04:45:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12833571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/down/pseuds/down
Summary: The new-year festival in Cephiro is rather different to what Fuu is used to on Earth.Fuu/Ferio fluffiness





	Fly-away

**Author's Note:**

  * For [suzanami](https://archiveofourown.org/users/suzanami/gifts).



> For Suzanami for the Rayearth holiday fic-swap 2015.

oOo

The new year celebrations in Cephiro came a month before the ones on earth, and this year they landed on a weekend, which meant the Knights were finally able to attend the festival; there were dances and games in every village, and most of all in the castle, where a large number of people still lived and worked. They arrived part way through the afternoon, and things were already in full swing. Umi and Hikaru quickly vanished into the crowds in different directions - Hikaru pulled along by a group of laughing children challenging her to come try the games, and Umi spotted Caldina and made straight for her, cackling. (Fuu wasn’t going to ask what mischief the two of them had planned - especially when she saw Presea headed that way too, whistling happily.)

In contrast, Fuu stood just outside the main doors for a good few minutes, watching the people flooding the gardens and enjoying the hubbub. Everyone was in their best and brightest outfits, though it was too cool for the more diaphanous fashions popular in summer. The seasons returning to Cephiro made the year’s passing more notable, though as yet the seasonal changes weren’t particularly strong. But every plant knew when it was meant to bloom; the last few months there had been no new flowers, and only the last of the puragu harvest to gather in. Now, there were small splashes of colour peeking out everywhere Fuu looked as she stepped into the gardens.

People were tossing small wooden balls at skittles, tossing hoops at pegs, taking turns at trying to balance on top of a board with one wobbly leg supporting it… and everywhere there were people smiling. Most of them said hello as Fuu walked by, whether they knew her or not; everyone was a friend today.

Entertainers were wandering through the crowds, stopping in corners here and there to sing, or turn somersaults, or to juggle- one juggler winked at her, and Fuu caught the coloured ball Ferio tossed in her direction before he threw the others all high in the air so he could bow to his audience between catching each one.

“Are you impressed?”

“The children certainly are,” Fuu said, with a laugh, as the balls all vanished into brightly-coloured patchwork pockets on Ferio’s rather garish outfit. His audience of mostly younger children sighed loudly - until he took one ball back out and twisted it; the two halves came apart, and it was full of small sweets which Ferio tossed at them before putting the ball away again. “You looked like you were having fun, I wouldn’t want to disturb you-”

“I’ve been juggling all day, I should probably take a break before my arms fall off.” Ferio stepped forward, and took back the ball he had tossed to Fuu, before opening it up. One lone sweet was left inside. “And showing you around will be plenty of fun. Besides, I’m out of supplies; I saved this one for you, I don’t think you’ve had it before.”

“Thank you.” Fuu took it; the outside was something fried and crispy, slightly sweet and nutty; the inside of it was highly spiced, the warmth lingering on her tongue as Ferio lead her on through the gardens, explaining all of the games and keeping an arm about her waist when the crowds threatened to nudge them apart. When the people thinned out a little again, his arm stayed there. Fuu smiled, and said nothing - until she realised that over the chatter she could hear the distinctive whistle of arrows in the air. “…Ferio, is that-”

“An archery contest?” Ferio grinned at her, and then leant in to kiss her on the nose. “Yep! Well, not so much a contest as a challenge - I should have guessed you would hear it before we arrived. Come on, we’re almost there.”

Around the next corner they reached the edge of the orchards, and in the wide space between the garden wall and the start of the trees there was a set of archery targets - with a glittering shield surrounding them and the range back to where people were stood with the bows, so that no stray arrows could ruin anyone’s festivities. The targets were arranged with some nearer, and some further away, so everyone down to the slightly older children could have a go at hitting them - and there were coloured lights dancing in the air between the archers and the targets, which sparked in the air when they were hit.

“The more lights you hit, the better luck you’ll have next year, or that’s the theory anyway.” Ferio let go of her waist as they came closer, so he could wave at them. “The local guards always run this thing, I always thought it was a scheme to see who was good enough with a bow to be recruited, but Lantis claims the local spirits charm the lights into place and it really is lucky. I’ve never managed to hit one, so I can’t say he’s wrong, but…”

Fuu tracked the next arrow as it flew towards a target, holding her breath for a second when it came within a hairsbreadth of breaking a light - but passed on without managing to shatter it. It did thump solidly into the target, and that got a flash of light all on its own. The shooter sighed, and then grinned, handing the bow back to the stall holder. “You’ve never hit one?”

“Never. I tried to talk them into letting me use a sword, but apparently it’s arrows only. …You want a go?”

Fuu leant in, and kissed his cheek, grinning. “Of course. But you’re coming too.”

oOo

The queue was short, more of the people hanging around were watching than taking part - a group of young guards who were probably meant to be manning the booth were taking turns shooting at one of the more distant targets, cheering loudly each time one of them hit a light. “Does that make them extra lucky?” Fuu asked the girl who was actually running the thing.

“No, only the first three shots count, but it’s fun.” The girl grinned back, and Fuu had seen her about the castle before with LaFarga, but had no idea of her name. “I think you should be on the longest target, this one here - that okay, or do you want one of the other ones, Lady Windam?”

“Please, call me Fuu. This target will be fine, yes - I suppose we aren’t allowed to use our own bows?”

Laughing, the girl handed over one of them from the table beside her, and three arrows. “Standard issue only, I’m afraid, or it might give you an advantage - these ones aren’t magical at all. Are you having a go too?” This to Ferio, as Fuu took the bow and weighed it in her hands carefully, then stuck the three arrows in the ground beside her as she’d seen the others doing so she could draw the bow without one and test the pull of it. It was shorter than the bows she was used to, curved back at the ends, and powerful. Good for using in a wood where there wasn’t much space between the trees, which was where most of the monsters seemed to appear…

Ferio was busy saying he wanted to watch Fuu first as she took up her first arrow and focused. The lights glimmered in front of her as she breathed in slowly, picking her moment, and released - and one light flashed into colours as her arrow passed through it. The other two slipped away, but it thumped directly into the centre of the target. Someone behind her shouted ‘one!’ and there was a cheer; she paid no attention to it.

Eyes narrowing, she breathed in again, and took up the next arrow, adjusting her stance slightly.

This time, two lights flashed apart on the tip of the arrow. She took up the next, and closed her eyes for a moment, letting everything slip away but the feel of the bow in her hands, and the faint chill of the slightest breeze brushing against the right side of her face, stirring her hair. She opened her eyes, and let the arrow fly.

“Five!” Ferio shouted, and then he was picking her up about the waist and spinning her about. “Five lights on one arrow - that’s eight overall, and three strikes to the centre of the target - that’s lucky enough for both of us!”

Fuu laughed, and wrapped one arm about his shoulders, handing over the bow to the grinning attendant. “Well, with what you said-”

He dropped her to her feet, and then kissed her. Fuu ran her hands up into his hair and kissed back, breathless and trying not to laugh against his lips before he let her go, beaming down at her. “That was amazing, Fuu!”

She blushed, hearing applause from the bystanders - hopefully for the shooting. “Thank you - now it’s your turn!”

“I couldn’t follow that,” Ferio protested, still grinning. “People might expect me to get an arrow near the target, I’d hate to disappoint them.”

“Flatterer,” she murmured, and he leaned in to kiss her again, softly this time.

“It’s not flattery if it’s a sincere compliment,” he said, against her lips. “And you are amazing, Fuu; I’m always sincere about that.”

She didn’t mind so much that it took a while to stop kissing, after that - it gave her an excuse for her cheeks flaming hot enough that gentle breeze was most welcome.

oOo

She made sure he had a go eventually, of course. 

Ferio didn’t hit any of the targets, but he did get one light - just not one he’d been _aiming_ for.

oOo


End file.
